


where the lovelight gleams

by drew



Category: Latter Days (2003)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-19
Updated: 2008-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 08:49:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1642466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drew/pseuds/drew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The holiday season means something to Aaron.  Will it be the same in LA?</p>
            </blockquote>





	where the lovelight gleams

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Troll Princess for the beta!
> 
> Written for silverspotted

 

 

The first few weeks were fine. Thanksgiving at Lila's went off nearly without a hitch; Julie discovered she loathed New York almost as much as Traci did and returned to LA "for good, this time"; Aaron and Christian found a one-bedroom in WeHo far enough from Christian's old place that there wasn't even the remote possibility of running into Ryder and Aaron's old "buddies". Traci taught Aaron just how rude you could be to a diner before he'd cut your tip; Kevin kept filling Lila's wineglasses; Aaron quickly became everyone's favorite, a fact Christian couldn't resist pointing out at every possible occasion.

No, the first few weeks were fine. It was mid-December that proved to be a problem. 

***

"What, exactly, are you doing?"

Aaron paused. Halfway up a ladder was not exactly the best place from which to get in an argument. He put the hammer down on the top of the ladder, leaned forward, and half-grinned at Christian. "I'm putting up Christmas lights."

"And a tree, apparently."

"It's just not Christmas without a tree."

Christian raised his eyebrow. "Weren't you, like, barred from having a tree? Anything that might even smell vaguely of something other than a baby in a stable?"

"We're not like that. I mean, they're not like that. I mean. I." Aaron bit his lip.

"Hey."

"Don't do that."

"What?"

"The 'freak' thing." Aaron looked at Christian, setting his mouth into a line. "The thing where you act like my family and their friends are insane."

"Look, they threw you out, right? How is that not insane? Are you-"

"Chris, they're my *parents*." Aaron made a motion with his arm. "I can't just..." He sighed. "I don't even know, anymore."

Christian looked up at Aaron, halfway up the ladder. He sighed, then rolled his eyes and said, "Do you want a hand?"

***

Christian had a really, really good body: lean, but still muscled, with abs that rippled. He was quite proud of it. The only problem was that he had to exercise at least an hour a day, six days a week, focusing on particular muscle groups in a particular order, so that he could look as hot as he did. Aaron, on the other hand, apparently only had to wait tables and occasionally take out the garbage. It was, in Christian's opinion, entirely unfair. So when Christian came home from the gym, sweaty and bedraggled, and found Aaron licking a wooden spoon covered in cookie dough, he wasn't sure whether this was karmic punishment for something he'd done, or an invitation. He pounced.

Aaron whirled around, nearly knocking his forearm into Christian's nose. Christian ducked, then backed away with his hands in the "surrender" position. "Hey, whoa."

"Uh, sorry." Aaron looked sheepish. "You startled me."

"I gathered."

"You're, um. In a mood?"

Christian laughed. "You've got flour on your cheek and a cookie-dough-covered spoon in one hand. I pretty much want to blow you right here, right now." Aaron blushed. "Seriously," Christian said, moving closer to Aaron and sliding his hand up under Aaron's shirt, "I want to make out with you for a while and then pull your pants down and do it right here." He slid his hand further around Aaron and down the back of his pants, cupping his ass and drawing him forward.

"I've got to take the cookies out of the-" Christian cut Aaron off with a kiss, wrapping his other arm around behind Aaron's head and holding him close.

"Screw the cookies." Christian leaned in for another kiss, but Aaron pulled his head back.

"Just because you think you can't eat any..."

Christian glared. "Evil sugary kisses of death."

Aaron smiled. "You could eat a few cookies and I wouldn't think less of you."

"My abs!" 

Aaron dropped the spoon on the counter and took Christian's face in his hands. "Your abs are hot. But I didn't fall for them."

"Are you trying to make this into something where you tell me that it's what's inside that counts?"

"That was sort of the direction I was heading in, yeah."

"This is *West Hollywood*."

Aaron sighed.

Christian grinned. "But I take the point. Now how about I convince you to forget about the cookies?"

"Not a chance!"

***

Lila had gone all out. 

The tree towered over the restaurant, smelling of pine and packed with lights and multicolored ornaments in crystal, glass, and metal. The tables had been mostly cleared away, and several long tables had been pushed together end-to-end and covered in deep wine-red tablecloths. Plates and silverware gleamed from the place settings, folded napkins at each place, nametags emerging from their tops. The room was also empty. Shouts could be heard from the kitchen.

Aaron looked askance at Christian as they entered. "My cookies feel inadequate." He placed the cookie tin on the bar, took off his jacket, and headed toward the source of the commotion. Christian followed, hands in his pockets, grinning at Aaron.

Lila was holding court in the kitchen, one hand holding a glass of pinot and the other gesturing wildly, encouraging Traci and Alonso as they mashed potatoes and blanched beans. Kevin was with Hector, taking the chef's carefully-sliced ham and transferring it to a massive platter. 

Julie ran up to Christian and Aaron. "Where have you two been? There are five things that still need doing and Lila's demanding we eat in ten minutes."

Christian said, "We got sidetracked." Aaron coughed. Julie snickered. "What needs doing?"

"Rolls need to come out of the oven in a minute; water glasses need to be filled; there's plenty more to do -- just ask Frank." She dashed off.

Fifteen minutes later, to everyone's great surprise, the group managed to lug everything out to the immaculate table; Kevin played sommelier for a pass around the table with the wine. Lila's eyes sparkled as she surveyed the group. "It always seems such a waste, having Thanksgiving and Christmas so close together. We've already given thanks once in the last month; why get us all together again?" She smiled. "Aaron, darling, I think you could do this one better than I."

Aaron swallowed his water too fast and coughed. "Me?"

"Yes, you. I think you're the only one who's even remotely qualified."

"Uh, no, I'm not. I used to think I was." Aaron's voice was rougher than Christian had expected, emotion clearly coloring it. "I used to think I understood what I was supposed to talk about at this time of year. It was all supposed to be about Christ. He came from Heaven, a place of utmost perfection, down to this sinful hunk of rock we live on, and was born to a virgin. So the whole point was: aren't we lucky to have been blessed by the miracle that allowed that to happen." He looked at Christian. "But it's not about a baby in a stable. It's about realizing how many gifts we have already been given in this life, and about giving gifts to others that are stand-ins -- symbols, I guess -- for the recognition of the gifts they've given us just by being in our lives." 

He looked back up at the assorted guests: his friends and adoptive family. "I thought if I did all the things my family did at the holidays, it would be the same. But it wasn't." He gave a rueful chuckle. "I hammered my thumb a lot and burned half the cookies and it was generally a disaster. When it came down to it, I wondered why I was doing all that. And I realized that I was trying to drag some part of my family down here. But my family is already here. You're sitting in front of me now. And you've all given me so much already, in these few weeks. And I don't have a gift for you that even begins to recognize that. But I guess I would just say 'thank you'. All of you." 

Aaron looked down at Christian, then leaned down and kissed him. "And especially you." Julie and Kevin hooted.

"And, um, if you want, later, I did bring the other half of the cookies." He blushed and sat down.

Lila raised her glass. "To the gifts we've been given, and to those we give to others."

Everyone drank to that.

 


End file.
